Happy Rhinebeck Day!

 No. I didn't get to Rhinebeck this year. Like many of you I celebrated at home instead. I spent the day catching up on woolly things. First I needed to fix the top of the Mosi hat. It had a bump that I didn't like.

It was an easy repair job so I cast on another in brown while catching up with Fortiude on Amazon Prime. It's the worst show I've ever seen but it's good to knit to. It takes place on an island in the Arctic, brrrrrr.......

Then I made the pom pom for Daughter's Maine hat. I left the pom pom shaggy so she could cut it back if she wants to. I have no idea how big of a pom pom she wants. I used up every smidgen of that wonky handspun she brought me so I hope she's careful with the scissors.

 After that, I finished plying the last of the gradient green Targhee. I am so sad this vendor isn't in business anymore. I would have loved to have another of her gradient Targhee sets in other colors. She had some really pretty ones. I might have to try my hand at dyeing my own for next year's Tour.

Finally, just as it was getting too dark to do much of anything, I split the Falkland braid in the Autumn colorway that I brought back from the SVFF a few weeks ago. If I can find anything worth watching on TV tonight I'll start spinning it.

I also need to thank Lucy from KY for the surprise package. She sent me lots of practical little goodies, Thanks so much Lucy, it's all greatly appreciated!

Low Tide

 This isn't another post about tea it's just that I have a mini rant to get off my chest before I move on to other things. Do you order tea out? I do and for the life of me I don't understand why it's so complicated. My local coffee shop serves tea but if you just go up to the counter and order a small they will stuff in TWO tea bags. While you're waiting to pay it then becomes such a toxic, acidic brew that I can't drink it. I have to order a cup of hot water and one tea bag and then go over to the counter and dunk my own where I get the strangest looks. Jeeesh.

 Anyway...we were down at the beach yesterday afternoon having tea and looking at the extreme low tide. Wow. You could walk out to the osprey's nest which is a long ways out.

Last week the place was flooded. You could still see the sandbags on the fancy houses that line the water. We got an alert that most of the roads were closed. We haven't had any rain. This was coastal flooding brought on by the storm in the Atlantic and the full moon.

 There were a bunch of tourists walking in the muck looking at all the dearly departed sea life that was uncovered. The Mister joined them but Pup and I watched from the pier. Dogs aren't allowed on the beach even in off season.

It was a chilly day but the sun felt wonderful so we peeled off our warm layers. Pup's getting a new sweater-maybe. I picked up this Red Heart at Walmart yesterday and found a pattern that might fit my chunky monkey. It's for a Pug. She's more Pug shaped than Yorkie shaped so I'm hoping it might work.

 Speaking of chunky monkeys, this guy had to go get his shots yesterday morning and the vet handed us this:

It's not the first time I've gotten one of those.

Last year I got one for this guy and then Pup too. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my critters enjoy their noms but maybe I've gone overboard. Time to cut back. I could stand to lose a few myself so I guess we're all in this together.

Pumpkin Potion

 I'm home from my Grand sitting gig and the best thing about getting home is the mail. This time I didn't have much waiting for me but I did have some tea I had ordered before I left.

 Adagio Tea had the cutest little tins of limited edition Halloween blends and I couldn't resist throwing one in with my usual order.

This is a Honeybush Pumpkin Chai with cocoa nibs and pumpkin sprinkles. I haven't tasted it yet. I just like looking at it.

Inktober Interrupted

 Inktober took a detour this year. I didn't get much inking done this week.

I've been with the Grands since Sunday. Their Mom and Dad had big work plans and their usual sitter was away on a well deserved vacation. Little Grand loves to color and the AC Moore near their house had lots of Halloween art projects we could work on together.

Big Grand was down with an earache so after his morning doctor's visit we spent the Monday holiday curled up watching him play the Goose game. It's the cutest thing ever. That's a video game even I could play.

They were off to school for the rest of the week so I've had lots of quiet knitting time.

I brought the Soldotna to cast on and when I tell you I wasted an entire day knitting and re-knitting the same 68 stitches around the neck in order to figure out short rows I'm not kidding. I don't think I really figured it out right but I'm moving on. There's so much more to this pattern than just a few naughty rows at the neck.

Big Needle FO: Bosc Pear

It all started here.....

 ....and ended here,  Now I am sad to see this project finished. It was a very fun knit once I worked the bugs out of the Slip one Knit 2 issue. For some reason I read it as Slip one Knit 2 tog and that just will not work.

It's an odd shaped, asymmetrical thing which is very long making it hard to photograph in it's entirety. I love the little eyelet edging and the picot bind off. It was a bear to block but it was worth it.

 I don't think there is a better feeling than blocking something this pretty that you spun yourself. I can't wait until it's cold enough to wear it. It's gotten warm here again. Boooooo.....

Tiny Needle Tuesday

 I didn't get much stitching done this week. I did work on that top border but I don't have much to show for it.

I finished another Dear Jane block and am still working my way through the first Rose Star block.

I've got all the pieces basted. I just need to sit myself down and get them sewn on. I'm not sure what I've been doing with my time this week but it sure hasn't been anything crafty.

Winterizing

 It's been pleasant during the day but it's been getting down into the 40's at night so it was time to set up the winter huts for the outdoor kitties

.

 In the summer we have all kinds of sleeping places in the yard. Their favorite is just a plain old box. Chewy boxes are the best and last the longest.

 Inside each hut we put a heating platform. On top of that we put a light blanket.

On top of all that we put a tent made of two pillows I pin together. Walmart has cheap pillows that make great kitty sleeping bags. They love to tuck themselves into them at night.

It's too bad that Miss Gracie's mother and two sisters are too silly to come in at night and sleep in a nice warm bed in the house like she does.

Pup was the straw boss. I'm afraid she's getting too comfortable being carted around. She actually begs to get into her stroller now. She's still limping so it's best to keep her off her leg as much as possible but I'm afraid we are creating a monster.

Then there were the plants. I've got two that need to come in now and I have to find a place where the cats can't get to them. They will eat them down to nothing if I let them. Silly cats. Nothing is simple anymore since they showed up. Nothing.